Climate scientists are deeply concerned about tipping points. What are tipping points and why should we avoid crossing them? Provide two examples of tipping points and explain why they are dangerous.
What will be an ideal response?
Tipping points are thresholds in the climate system beyond which change will be effectively permanent and potentially catastrophic. Once such tipping point is the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. Melting snow and ice exposes much darker land and sea areas which absorb more solar energy and heat up, accelerating global warming. Another tipping point involves ocean acidification. Phytoplankton form the base of the ocean food chain and their population could collapse if the acidification is severe enough. Not only would this devastate ocean ecosystem, but it would also hamper the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide.Answers will vary. Other tipping points include: atmospheric carbon dioxide level of 450 ppm, melting of all Arctic summer sea ice, release of methane from Arctic permafrost, collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet and collapse of the Amazon rainforest.
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What will be an ideal response?
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What will be an ideal response?
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